Gemini Divided: Twin Stars of Evil
by Tasogare-Taichou
Summary: This is my re-imagined, re-worked, fleshed-out retelling of the Aku no Monogatari  Story of Evil  series, as I would have written it had it been mine.   Pairings: RinxLen, MikuxKaito, LukaxGakupo, AkaitoxHaku, Onesided LenxMiku and RinxKaito
1. Prologue and Author's Notes

**Gemini Divided: Twin Stars of Evil **

**Author:** TasogareTaichou

**Fandom:** Vocaloid

**Pairings:** RinxLen, KaitoxMiku, GakupoxLuka, AkaitoxHaku, One-sided RinxKaito and LenxMiku.

**Rating:** T

**Warnings:** Twincest, violence, darker themes.

**Disclaimer:** See below and author's notes for full disclaimer and crediting.

_You are the princess, I am a servant _

_Destiny divided, pitiful twins. _

_If it's for the sake of protecting you, _

_I'll even become evil for you._

Long ago, there was once a kingdom, tyrannical and cruel, ruled over by a tiny princess of only 14. She oppressed her people ruthlessly, seemingly at whim, caring nothing for the pain and suffering she inflicted with her selfish ways. The only one to whom she showed any degree of kindness was her loyal servant; her own brother.

The princess fell in love one day, with the prince of the kingdom across the sea. When he rejected her and chose a common girl from a different land, her jealousy and anger led her to order the girl removed. This would spawn a war between the lands as the people rose against the tyrant.

When the time of ending was at hand, her servant came to her, trading his clothing for hers. He took her place and took her evil onto himself, dying in her stead at the execution scaffold and freeing the country with his life.

But then... no story is ever quite that simple...

Welcome to Gemini Divided, my imagined re-telling of the story of Aku no Monogatari. This story came about by several means; imaginative roleplaying between myself and a friend, love of Vocaloid fandom, and above all the wonderful story created by Akuno-P, also known as MOTHY.

To start off, I would first like to thank the wonderful authors and creators who were responsible for the works that have inspired this story. MOTHY for his creation of the original trilogy of Aku no Musume, Aku no Meshitsukai, and Regret Message; also, for his creation of Daughter of White, Haku's telling of the story. I would also like to thank the fan creators of the Daughter of Vengeance, Prince of Blue, Daughter of Green, and King of Purple songs/PVs. Each of these wonderful additions has brought a new facet to what I see as a wonderfully tragic, complex, and poignant story. I take no credit for the original concept of the story, or for the original portrayal of the characters. This is simply my opportunity to re-imagine the story how I would have written it, had it been my intellectual baby. Which, consequently, is what fanfiction IS. While Gemini Divided takes it's material primarily from the Story of Evil series and it's accompanying videos, it also references several other Vocaloid PVs and songs, all of which are listed below, with their creators (if I can find them). ^_^

**Notes:** As I have previously stated, this is a work of fiction, drawn off of and inspired by _another_ work of fiction; the songs and PVs listed above. While they are the inspiration, and provide the backbone of the story, this version overall is my own creation. The individual songs and PVs are the intellectual property of their respective creators, I am merely borrowing them. Vocaloid, and it's respective official characters are copyright to their respective companies. Fanmade Vocaloid characters appearing in roles are copyright to their respective creators. All source material is used for personal enjoyment and entertainment only. Gemini Divided remains my own intellectual property, and all storyline additions and deviations from the accepted 'canon' of the original PVs is considered my own material.

Referenced Source Material/PV Crediting:

**Aku no Musume **Daughter of Evil - featuring Kagamine Rin - MOTHY/Akuno-P

**Aku no Meshitsukai **Servant of Evil - featuring Kagamine Len - MOTHY/Akuno-P

**Regureto Meseji **Regret Message - featuring Kagamine Rin- MOTHY/Akuno-P

**Shiro no Musume **Daughter of White - featuring Yowane Haku- MOTHY/Akuno-P

**Akujiki Musume Conchita **Conchita, the Epicurean Daughter of Evil - featuring MEIKO - Mothy/Akuno-P

**Midori no Musume **Daughter of Green - featuring Hatsune Miku - Ringo(lyrics), Nyonta(Miku's voice arrangement)

**Fukushuu no Musume **Daughter of Vengeance - featuring MEIKO - Misakiya(lyrics), Piihyara-P(MEIKO's voice arrangement)

**Aoi no Ouji **Prince of Blue - featuring KAITO - Mitsu

**Murasaki no Ou **King of Purple - featuring Kamui Gakupo - unknown creator

**Adolescence **featuring Kagamine Rin and Len - Signal-P

**Heartbeat Clocktower **featuring KAITO - MOTHY/Akuno-P

The original story, as pieced together utilizing MOTHY's blog, the songs themselves, and other scraps of information, can be found here: .com/wiki/Story_of_Evil It should also be noted that Mothy himself has published a novelization of his story entitled Cloiture of Yellow. While this true canon gives non-Vocaloid names to countries and characters, and changes the story somewhat, I am choosing to stick with the original song-based canon.

Other songs and PVs used in Gemini Divided are used primarily as reference points for my own imagined backstory. Also, as MOTHY is well-known for tying his works together, I found it rather an homage to do the same with my story in regards to referencing.

In regards to countries and locations, rather than calling things simply 'the blue country' or making up another, unrelated name, I elected to use the Japanese words for the respective countries. Thusly, the countries and locations referenced are as follows:

Kiiroi - the yellow country, ruled by Rin.

Aoi - the blue country, ruled by Kaito.

Midori - the green country, where Miku and Haku come from.

Shiroi - the white country, no longer exists between Midori and Kiiroi.

Kurenai - the crimson country, far north.

Murasaki - the purple country, far northwest.

Towns and villages and other locations within a country can be identified to their particular country by name, as all names within a certain country will have the same colour theme. IE the town of Azure can be found in the country of Aoi, both names being a reference to the colour blue.

Vocaloid characters used are as follows, and are credit to their own respective creators. I have listed them in their cast roles in the story, regardless of how small. Vocaloid characters without a surname have been given the accepted fandom surname, or have been given one by me. Additionally, some character relationships have been created by me for storyline purposes. I will list accepted 'canon' names and roles in regular type, with additions/alterations by me in bold.

Kagamine Rin - Princess of Kiiroi

Kagamine Len - Servant and brother of Rin

Shion Kaito - Prince of Aoi

Shion Akaito - **Exiled prince of Aoi **

**Shion** Prima - **Princess of Aoi **

Hatsune/**Shion** Miku - Commoner of Midori/**Princess of Aoi **

Sakine Meiko - Commoner of Kiiroi

Sakine Meito - **General of Kiiroi **

Yowane Haku - Commoner of Midori

Honne Dell - **General of Kiiroi, native of Shiroi **

Honne Deruko - **Noblewoman of Aoi, native of Shiroi **

Yokune Ruko - **Mercenary of Kiiroi **

Zatsune Miku - **Rebel of Kiiroi **

Kasane Teto - **Peasent of Kiiroi **

Leon - **Peasent of Kiiroi **

Sonika - **Peasent of Kiiroi **

Akita Neru - **Court sorcerer of Rin **

Kamui Gakupo - **Court minister of Rin **

Megurine Luka - **Court medic of Rin **

Komorine Remu - **Merchant of Kiiroi **

Juuon Kiku - **Mercenary of Kiiroi **

Hagane Mikuo - **Peasent of Aoi **

Kasane Ted - **Nobleman of Aoi **

Yamine Aku - **Cook of Rin **

Mato Kuroi(BRS) - **Mercenary/soldier of Kiiroi**

Vonica Conchita - Noblewoman of **Kurenai **

Fruschia - **Musician of Kiiroi **

Kazamine Sen and Retsu - **Musicians of Kiiroi **

Miki - **Dancer/musician of Kiiroi **

Hiyama Kiyoteru - **Musician of Kiiroi **

Megurine Luki **- Soldier of Kiiroi **

Kaai Yuuki - **Peasent of Kiiroi**

Lily** - Noblewoman of Midori**

**Alocious (Al -** Big Al**) -** **Steward of Kiiroi**

Hirane Tekuno** - Minister of Aoi**

The roles for Teto, Sonika, Leon, Ruko, and Zatsune were all principally filled by original characters in the various roleplays between myself and my best friend. I have, however, chosen instead to replace those characters with established Vocaloid characters for the purpose of this story.


	2. Chapter 1

Another sour note glissaded across the strings of the guitar, plucked by over-exuberant fingertips. The owner of said hand swallowed back the lump that arose in her throat, daring to cast a look across the room towards their audience. It was bad enough they'd been forced to come to this place to play without being given time to prepare, time to practice, time to... well, really time for much of _anything_ beyond grabbing their meager supplies and following behind the detachment of soldiers who'd arrived unexpectedly that morning.

That was the way of things; at least... it was the way of things when _she_ requested your presence.

Catching her lower lip between her teeth, Sen forced her eyes back down to the guitar, interrupting the automatic reaction to glance up as she faltered again. _She_ was watching, and casting her gaze upwards to see if her audience had noticed the mistake would only end in yet another error. And that error, or the other error, or any number of combinations of errors - even the absence of any error other than the blond girl's whim - would prove to be the proverbial straw, breaking the camel's back and ending with them all dead.

Or worse.

Reconfiguring her fingers, Sen sucked in a deep breath, sparing a glance to her left where Retsu was eyeing her intently over the twin lengths of his reed pipe, cheeks puffed out slightly as he put all his effort into the twirling, lilting melody that was his specialty. His green eyes were nearly crossed in concentration, only that and the faint sheen of sweat on his brow betraying the nervousness that they were all feeling. As she strummed her guitar in time with the tune, Sen caught Miki miss a step, faltering slightly as she wove her arms together in time, hurriedly covering up her mistake. Yes, they were _all_ making mistakes; mistakes they normally wouldn't have made, had they been given time to practice, time to prepare.

_And... if we weren't fearing for our lives..._

Shifting her fingers to strike different chords, accenting the tinkling chimes of Miki's bells and Fruschia's soft soprano voice; Sen swallowed another gulp of nerves and chanced a look at the opulent chaise on the other side of the room.

The chaise where _she_ sat.

The daughter of evil herself; Kagamine Rin, Kiiroi's ruler. Resplendent in yellow silk and black lace, she was half-sprawled across the ochre velvet of the chaise, her head propped up on one beringed hand while the perfectly manicured fingertips of her other one plucked absent-mindedly at the embroidered fringe of her pillow.

Sen allowed her gaze to drift from that plucking hand, up to settle on the young face with it's small features masked by arrogance and boredom. It was curious, in some way, that those who had lived longer than Sen - though she couldn't help at times but feel that thirteen years seemed quite a long time - said there had been a time, not too long ago, when Kiiroi had been a nice place to live, without the hunger and violence that painted every day with it's sanguine stains.

She remembered those times, albeit vaguely, as though remembering a dream she'd had in much younger days. Though it really hadn't been so long ago, the days before Rin's rule were simply in such stark contrast to the present that there often seemed a lifetime between them.

It had been 8 years, her parents said. Eight years since the former king and queen of Kiiroi had vanished on a vacationing trip to Kurenai. Though searches had been mounted, and soldiers sent out, no trace of the couple had ever been found. It was said, among the people of Kiiroi, that the pretty blonde woman and her equally handsome consort had run afoul of a creature mostly relegated to legend among those outside of Kurenai. In that corner of the world, with it's forbidding mountains and icy winters, there was a person only spoken of in whispers, as though even speaking her name would somehow call down her shadowed presence upon their lives.

Vonica Conchita, the Crimson Devil of the Mountains. While most of those living outside Kurenai's borders dismissed her as simply a legend, a spook-tale for children, the villagers and nobility of Kurenai took her far more seriously. Sen herself had never really asked much about it, but even she knew the story of Conchita. An ancient, immortal entity with the shape and form of a startlingly beautiful young woman in her early twenties with red-tinted brown hair and eyes the same shade as sunlight through droplets of blood. Who feasted and dined on the flesh and blood of those hapless enough to wander across her path, forever in search of new and more elusive tastes to sample. How she said little, but what she _did_ say was spoken with a lilting, unidentifiable accent that nonetheless somehow carried her age with it. How her lips were the same deep red as blood, as was the silk of her gown, with its elegant black trim and embroidery.

They said she was always flanked by two servants, both fair and pale as their livery was black; blue-eyed twins as eternally youthful as she, fed by the same demonic fare that gave Conchita her immortality. They lived, according to legend, in the oldest and most ornate castle in the entirety of Kurenai, perched high upon a mountain peak with its gateways and passes lit by the fiendish glow of red-glass lanterns carved from black basalt and wrought iron. The castle itself remained shrouded in the mists of time and antiquity, only revealing itself to those unfortunate enough to pass too close. It was the same with the carriage, that ornate construct of ebony wood and iron, red lanterns hanging off the back as it trundled along the mountain passes pulled by horses as black as tar. That was how she chose her victims, the old ones said, and why it didn't do to travel at night - or alone, for that matter - through the wilds of Kurenai.

One would find oneself alone, on a dark and deserted road, only to be met with the rhythmic sound of hoof beats and carriage wheels. And then, as though appearing out of the mists themselves, they would come. The carriage, with the pale-haired boy in his black clothes sitting at the reigns. He would smile at you, a cold, predatory smile, as the carriage door would swing open and she would step out, all red skirts and painted lips and the smell of death and decay. It was useless to run, useless to try and hide. She was immortal, eternal... death incarnate. And once she took you back to her castle... it was too late.

That's what happened to the king and queen of Kiiroi, the villagers always whispered. Too caught up in their own opulence and vanity, they had dismissed the old tales, those old warnings that flitted everywhere through the northern lands. Dismissed them as easily as they dismissed anything else that wasn't fancy enough, or flashy enough, or interesting enough, and in their ignorance and arrogance they strayed into the veil, only to become prey for the huntress of the night. And that was when hell had descended upon Kiiroi.

"No, you incompetent fools!"

Sen was broken out of her musing by the sharp bark of reproach and the tinkle of breaking china as a porcelain teacup shattered against the wall beside Miki's head. Shaking her head and realizing that she'd been playing automatically, hardly even noticing that the song itself had changed and she'd effortlessly slipped into the next round of complicated chording, she nearly dropped the guitar. Fruschia and Miki had stopped singing, the latter taking a hesitant step backwards to bump into Kiyoteru as he laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. Swallowing past a new lump in her throat, Sen caught Retsu's gaze as she set the guitar down in her lap and slowly turned to look at the source of the noise.

Rin had sat up from her half-reclining position on the chaise, her pretty face pulled into a scowl as she clenched one fist in anger. Behind her, the familiar black-garbed figure of her favourite servant had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, crystal-blue eyes seeming to bore directly into Sen's soul as she met his gaze for a scant moment, only to look away again. This couldn't be happening, it just... it couldn't.

"You're horrible, untrained, useless idiots!"

Choking back the faint prick of tears that rose in her throat, Sen forced herself to watch as their audience stood up in a rustle of skirts. Everything seemed to slow down as she took in the anger on Rin's face, the set of the older girl's shoulders as she continued to scream insults at the group. She'd known this would happen, just like she'd known it was a bad idea when they'd received the summons. It was like she'd always told Retsu, she just _knew_ when bad things were going to happen, and so she'd tried desperately to make them understand. But while Retsu had smiled sadly and patted her on the head and told her it was alright, he believed her... the others hadn't. Or at least, if they _had_ believed her, they hadn't taken it seriously.

_But... what_ _**could**_ _we have done if they'd believed me? It isn't as though we could have run away... that would have just attracted more attention._

The tightening of Retsu's hand where it rested on her shoulder gave her just enough warning to snap her back out of her musings in time to see what was happening. Her brother's face was tense, and Sen could read his thoughts just as clearly as if he were saying them aloud, the way she'd always been able to. Her head snapped to one side, jade-hued eyes immediately landing on the wilting figure of Miki as she cringed away from Rin's harsh words, backing deeper into Kiyoteru's protective half-embrace. It took only a moment for her ears to register the words of Rin's tirade.

"... and you, skinny bony little thing, can't you even make those bells _sound_ like bells? Or even sound musical, rather than as if some oafish bull was blundering it's way through a pile of coins? Even babbling infants banging their rattles against the wall could make better music. Not to mention that what you define as 'dancing' you must have learned by watching crippled half-wits trying to walk! Disgust-"

"Stop picking on her."

The entire world seemed to screech to a grinding halt as Rin's diatribe was cut off by another voice, one that was incredibly familiar to Sen. Eyes widening, she fixed her gaze on Kiyoteru. No... it was impossible, he _knew_ better, he was too intelligent, too measured and grounded to have _dared_ speak out against Rin, much less interrupt her. Yet... that seemed to be exactly what had happened as she stared at her fellow musician. He had taken a half-step forward, placing his larger body in front of Miki's as she stared up at him, horrified eyes wide with disbelief. His expression was drawn and grim, determined in a way that she hadn't seen Kiyoteru look in a long time.

_No... stop it, don't provoke her! If you do that, you'll be..._

Her mental warning trailed off with a low moan that she bit back as she watched Rin suck in an outraged breath, her cheeks reddening as her blue eyes sparked with warning. There was a long moment where it seemed as though Kiyoteru had seen the error of his quick words, but then he was speaking again, as though chiding either herself or Retsu.

"If you don't like it, that's fine, but there's no need to be so mean. And as for our talent, we play just fine. It's hard to play well when we haven't been given any time at all the practice or prepare, not to _mention_ how difficult it is to do anything well when we're in fear of our lives should we not perform to a ridiculous standard. We're not trained court musicians, we're just ordinary folk!"

As he spoke, Rin's face had gone from red to white, her fists clenched as she trembled slightly, the raw fury plain in her eyes. And then suddenly, it was gone, her face melting into a mask of calm and sweetness that somehow managed to send an even more profound chill down Sen's spine. That look was dangerous, that look... meant far worse than its former infuriated redness had promised. Folding her hands in front of her, fingertips touching for all the world like a little girl enthralled over a new toy, Rin cocked her head to one side, blonde bangs shifting across her forehead.

"So~... what you're saying is... that you've been treated poorly and you'd like an apology? Is that it?"

Her tone oozed honeyed sweetness that still barely managed to mask the venom beneath, the hardening in her azure eyes. Turning slightly to catch her servant's gaze, the young man gave the barest imperceptible nod before stepping forward with a bow. Rin watched him for a moment before turning her attention back to the group.

"Then let's give the man an apology, shall we?"

At her words, her servant stepped forward, his footsteps as light and soundless as a stalking beast, every muscle and motion screaming one word; danger. The green-haired girl resisted the urge to draw back in fear and horror from him. She knew who he was, of course. They _all_ knew the young man who, in spite of his youth, was almost more the personification of evil than the woman in the yellow dress. Sen didn't know his name, none of them did. To them, he was as he was to the rest of the village; the right hand of the devil herself. The Demon with the Dead Eyes. That was how they referred to him, when they weren't simply calling him 'Him' or 'That Boy'. Princess Rin's most loyal attendant, she was seldom seen without the ponytailed blonde shadowing her closely, silently.

He'd been there as long as any of them could remember, but while she terrified villagers young and old alike, _his_ was the face that most oft haunted their nightmares. He was her enforcer, her servant, her guard. Perhaps more, but the most notable thing... was that he served her unquestioningly. It was he who carried out her orders, her murders and punishments. His face that you would see, concealed within the black cloak of silence until he struck. Stories abounded of his prowess, there were even those who whispered that the princess must have truly captured a demon, for one so seemingly young and guileless to kill as efficiently and brutally as he did.

But even the ease and cold-blooded efficiency with which he did his killing wasn't the most frightening thing. Sen suppressed a shudder as she remembered something her parents had told her. How they'd watched, only a couple of years ago, as another family they knew had spoken out against the princess, protesting the harsh taxes, the shortage of food. That family had died, their farm burned to the ground, their animals slaughtered while they themselves had simply... vanished. Those who had been there had spoken of a black-winged shadow amidst the flames, a demonic hell spawn with a deceptively guileless, childlike face and empty blue eyes. That was why they called him what they did. Because no matter how he smiled, no matter how gentle and kind he could speak... the smiles never reached his eyes. Those deep, sky blue eyes that had the potential to be quite beautiful yet nonetheless never held any spark of warmth or feeling.

It was disconcerting, but Sen had never seen him herself. At least... not until today, when he'd shown up like a shadow melting out of the alleyway, to blend his way into the crowd that watched them play. It was only when the crowd started to disperse that he'd appeared, seamlessly and silently, a deceptively warm smile on his face as he'd complimented their playing. She'd seen Kiyoteru and Miki tense, had registered the way Fruschia's small face paled, but it hadn't been until she took another look at their admirer that she'd understood. That she'd seen the emptiness in those blue eyes and put the pieces together.

A small, half-choked cry from Fruschia broke her concentration as he advanced on their group.

_No... no, no, no..._

Sen felt her breath catch in her throat as everything around seemed to slow down. She watched, horrified and frozen, as the blonde man stepped forward, drawing his sword and moving so swiftly and silently it seemed as though she was watching a dream. Everything, from the sudden horrified look of dawning comprehension on Kiyoteru's face to the way the sunlight through the window caught and glistened against the blade of the weapon as it curved in its almost lazy arc through her friend's torso. Even the spray of crimson that painted the attacker's emotionless face as Kiyoteru's broken body dropped to the ground like a leaden weight, the sanguine fluid pooling beneath him, was still surreal and dreamlike.

She could hear Miki screaming, the sound echoing as if down a tunnel, and then there was another sound, another melody blending into the shrillness and it wasn't until she felt Retsu's hands tight on her shoulders, shaking her, that she realized the other sound was her own screaming. Swallowing back a sob of fear, she turned to bury her face against her brother's shirt, shoulders shaking in fear, horror, and something else that she felt was probably sorrow. Kiyoteru... he'd always treated her like a little sister, looked out for all of them who were several years younger than he was, to the point where his role had hovered between father and brother-figure to many of them. And now, he was gone, gone and they would all be at the mercy of the demon.

"Len."

Her ears barely registered the sound, numbly logging away the single unfamiliar syllable until she dimly realized it was Rin's voice, addressing the monster who had just mutely slaughtered her friend with hardly the blink of an eye. Straightening up, the young man wiped the blade of his sword on Kiyoteru's cloak before resheathing the weapon. Len... his name was Len, her mind supplied dully as she watched him stand up and turn to kneel in front of Rin, as though awaiting instructions. Retsu's arms tightened fractionally around her in response, though she couldn't tell whether it was in rage or in fear. The normal faint whisper of his voice in her head had been drowned out by the roaring of her own blood.

_This is it... this is where we die._

"Len."

His shoulders stiffened slightly, almost in preparation, head dipping in the faintest of nods. His voice was even, soft, betraying no sign that the kill had affected him in any way as he knelt on the carpet before her, eyes downcast as the blood dripped down his face.

"Your instructions, my lady?"

Sen shuddered slightly at his voice, soft and sweet with adolescence and innocence that didn't belong on that bloodstained visage. Rin smiled slightly and waved her hand dismissively towards the slumped form of Kiyoteru's body where it lay on the now-stained cloister rug, vermilion stains bleeding into the burnished autumn colours of it's patterns.

"Take... _that_ away. Toss it in the river, or give it to the dogs, it hardly matters. As for the rest of them..."

Her ice blue irises flicked from one frightened, tearstained face to the next before turning back to Len, their expression simpering as they did so.

"Throw them into the dungeon. Maybe while they're rotting down there, they'll have a chance to develop some actual _talent_."

With a word and a gesture from the demon - Len, she knew his name now, though it was difficult to even put such a human sound to such a being - and the guards were surrounding them, rough hands clapping heavy iron manacles around their wrists as their arms were wrenched cruelly behind them. Sen struggled against the bonds, crying out for Retsu, fingers reaching for him even as they were hauled apart. Turning her head, she watched through green bangs as another soldier hefted the broken pieces of what had once been her friend, dragging him along, Kiyoteru's lifeless head thumping against the doorframe as the soldier - without hardly a care that his burden had only recently been a living, breathing man - hauled the corpse out the doorway. The last thing that Kazamine Sen saw before her head was shoved harshly down and she was dragged to her fate were his eyes; Kiyoteru's brown eyes, staring empty and lifelessly up towards the heavens, as if in mute prayer to anyone who would listen. The only problem... was that no one could.

Throwing herself down onto the chaise's velvet plush with an infuriated sigh, Rin propped her chin up on her hands, delicately manicured nails tapping lightly at pale skin. Her cheeks still bore the angry flush of outrage from a few moments ago, even as she mentally worked to compose herself. Frowning caused wrinkles and it wouldn't do for someone of her status to become unseemly in regards to her appearance. Closing her eyes, Rin smoothed her features into a mask of serenity, mind still seething with indignation. How _dare_ that... that _**ingrate**_ dare to lecture _her_? _She_ was crown princess of Kiiroi; nobility and worth, while he was nothing. _Nothing_, just a no-account mediocre minstrel from a paltry traveling band of other losers and worthless wastes of space and air.

_Hmpn... this country would be better off if people such as that just disappeared. How _**_dare_**_ he speak to me that way!_

Shifting restlessly, she sat up, walking over to the wide window with it's cushioned seat cut into the stone wall. With a rustle of golden ochre skirts and black lace, the elfin blonde settled herself comfortably into the corner of the window seat, tucking slippered feet beneath herself as she drew her knees up to her chin. Staring absently out the window, Rin watched the sky darken slightly as the first few drops of rain beat themselves in a stacatto rhythem against the frosted windowpanes. Her expression darkened as well; she hated rain, hated the way the stormclouds hid the sun from view.

Allowing the side of her head to rest against the cool smoothness of the glass, she curled herself tighter around the pillow held in her lap, butter-hued nails picking at the silken embroidery laced into the velvet material, bright against deep black. It wasn't right, that's what it was. She was their princess, they should respect her. Wasn't that how it worked? She'd always seen it work that way; she had power, money, presence. And because of that, she deserved to have her whims catered to, and garnered the right to rule as she saw fit.

The faint clink of metal drew her attention across the room and she glanced up to see Len step quietly through the door. The blond man had changed, bloodied clothes traded for another tunic and pants, paired with a tan vest in a butter-gold leather. A short cloak of dark brown wool was thrown over his shoulders as he tugged on his leather gloves. Sitting up straighter, Rin frowned as he came towards her, mouth pursing as blond brows drew together over blue eyes.

"Why are you dressed like that, Len? It's teatime."

He nodded slightly, stepping over and dropping down to kneel beside her, bright head bowed in submission.

"I'm sorry, my lady. There was an... uprising. Along the southern border, near the river. A group of peasants attacked a garrison. It's been quelled, but the troops need further orders, and there is conern that proper guidance is needed. With your permission, I would ride out there; meet with your generals and see to it that order is restored."

He raised his head to meet her gaze with his own clear azure eyes, a soft smile on his face. Standing up, he reached one gloved hand for her smaller one, raising it gently to his lips as he bowed again.

"I know it's teatime, but... I couldn't stand it if I allowed harm to come anywhere near to you by not being dilligent enough in this matter."

Raising his head, his eyes flickered towards the door as it creaked open to admit a young servent girl in the typical plain clothing of one of the servants. On her small wooden cart she ferried a tray of confections into the room, along with a delicately engraved silver teapot that wafted a faint ribbon of steam from it's spout. The girl's hair was drawn back under her cap, and her face was downcast as she slipped into the room without a sound, doing her best to remain as invisible as possible. The only outward sign of her nervousness and fear was the faint trembling of her white-knuckled hands as she pushed the cart over, stepping back to bob a curtsy before turning and slipping out the door at barely more than a run. Len nodded slightly to himself before cocking his head to Rin with another smile.

"And see? I even arranged tea to be brought anyway, so that my absence wouldn't interfere with your day."

He watched, silently, as the blonde girl seemed to debate with herself, small pointed chin raised, painted lips pressed together in frustration as her fingertips continued to fiddle with the cushion's embroidery. Sighing inwardly to himself, he made a mental note to have new cushions made for the windowseat to replace the one she was currently un-decorating. Reaching out, he plucked a pastry from the tray, kneeling to offer it to her with a faint smile.

"I even brought you brioche..."

He waggled the bun at her with a raised eyebrow, waiting for the expected response. It was always this way, she'd sulk and pout and he'd tease her lightly out of it, making her laugh and everything would be alright again. Len's expression turned graver as, rather than smiling, she continued to sulk, though it seemed to be more out of stubbornness than anything else. Sighing again, he tried once more to persuade her, setting the sugar-dusted roll aside on the plate as he took her hand, bowing over it, concerned eyes upraised to her.

"Rin, please... I'm only concerned for your safety... Please?"

Her pout increased, lower lip pushing out further as the small lines in her brow deepened with her frown and for a moment he resigned himself to staying there, obedient to her will as always. A long moment later, she heaved a martyred sigh and snatched the frosted pastry off of the dish and biting into the caramelized strawberry topping with it's dusting of confectioner's sugar, turning away in a huff to stare out the window.

"Fine. But I want shortcake when you get back. With blackberries and strawberries."

She returned to staring out the window, curled up into a small spot of golden silk and black lace, skirts draped across the cushions, bunching where her feet were tucked up. Len hid a small smile as he stood up and bowed again, nodding. That was better... things were back to normal and in spite of her apparent sulking, she wasn't angry with him. Not that she ever truly was, a thing that he was most grateful for.

"Whatever you wish, my princess."

With a final bow to her, he turned and walked lightly from the room, the door swishing shut behind him. Pressing long fingers against the stone wall as he passed, he ducked into the crack that widened as a panel swung aside, the cleverly concealed door closing behind him. The castle was full of such places, cunningly built in by Rin's ancestors, mostly unused - and unknown - by the current inhabitants. HE was the exception. Even now he could remember being a small boy, no older than five, as the former steward - a big, friendly-faced man they'd called Al - drilled him in these passages, seeing to it that the knowledge of Kiiroi's secrets would live on. Ironic enough, that the corridors, tunnels, and canals served his purposes as well - if not better - than anyone could have hoped.

Reaching out one arm, he didn't have to search to find the heavy wool of the black cloak hanging on the small peg, lifting the garment from it's place to swing it around his neck, knotting the laces across his collarbones. A simple motion of gloved hand against iron mechanism and the wall slid aside as he slipped out, silent as a shadow. Continuing down the hallway, Len ignored the occasional gasp and bleat of surprise that his presence typically brought from the other household servants as he made his way out one of the numerous side doors and into the sprawling courtyard. Bootheels clicking softly against the cobblestones, he made his way across and into the stables.

His usual mount was saddled and ready, the blanket of white speckles and stars across the stallion's withers covered by the dark blue saddle blanket. For all that he was a good horse, his markings were too distinctive at times. Hooking one booted foot into his stirrup, Len swung himself up into the saddle, grabbing the reigns in one hand as he pulled the hood of his cloak up to conceal his face. With a snap of the reigns and a kick of his heels, he was off, hoofbeats echoing against the dusty ground.

Authors Notes: Thank you for reading, and I hope you are enjoying! Please review and tell me what you think. Yes, it's going to be a bit different from the actual story, but that's the whole point. This is how I would have liked to see the story go. Character cameos are as follows~

Kagamine Rin - Princess Rin. Kagamine Len - Dead-Eyed Demon. Fruschia - Musician. SF-A2 Miki - Dancer. Hayama Kiyoteru - Musician. Kazamine Sen and Retsu - Musicians. Big Al - Alocious the former steward. MEIKO - Vonica Conchita

At some point, I hope to have illustrations of the characters how they appear in the story, as well as a world map for the way I see it. Look forward to it!


	3. Chapter 2

Gemini Divided: Twin Stars of Evil Author: TasogareTaichou Fandom: Vocaloid Pairings: RinxLen, KaitoxMiku, GakupoxLuka, AkaitoxHaku, One-sided RinxKaito and LenxMiku.  
Rating: T Warnings: Twincest, violence, darker themes.  
Disclaimer: See below and author's notes for full disclaimer and crediting.

_You are the princess, I am a servant Destiny divided, pitiful twins._  
_If it's for the sake of protecting you,_  
_I'll even become evil for you._

Long ago, there was once a kingdom, tyrannical and cruel, ruled over by a tiny princess of only 14. She oppressed her people ruthlessly, seemingly at whim, caring nothing for the pain and suffering she inflicted with her selfish ways. The only one to whom she showed any degree of kindness was her loyal servant; her own brother.

The princess fell in love one day, with the prince of the neighboring kingdom. When he rejected her and chose a common girl from a different land, her devastation and sorrow led her to order the girl removed. This would spawn a war between the lands as the people rose against the tyrant.

When the time of ending was at hand, her servant came to her, trading his clothing for hers. He took her place and took her evil onto himself, dying in her stead at the execution scaffold and freeing the country with his life.

But then... no story is ever quite that simple...

Chapter 2

The blade of the small, pearl-handled knife sunk into the tree with an echoing thunk and quivered for a moment before a large hand clad in nut-brown leather pulled it free, leaving yet another gouge in the bark beside the other similar marks. Flipping the knife end over end with a grin, the brunette man made his way back to the line he'd scratched in the dirt. Turning, he closed one eye, face screwing up as he concentrated, sighting along his arm before flinging the weapon at his target again with lethal precision. At another loud thunk, he pumped his fist into the air with a laugh before continuing, whistling a small tune as he did.

His companion sighed, the sigh of a long-suffering individual who is rapidly reaching the length and breadth of his patience. The horse shifted restlessly as Dell frowned, tightening his knees on the animal as he rolled startlingly-red eyes at his partner.

"Is it absolutely necessary that you continue doing that?"

Meito had been fidgety since they'd arrived at the meeting place, not that Meito being fidgety was anything strange in and of itself. The older man was always like that, as though he couldn't stand to not be doing _something_, anything but simply sitting on his horse, calmly waiting for their superior to arrive. But then, his horse was like that too, Dell commented to himself as the bay stallion tossed his head and shifted restlessly where his rider had tied his reigns to a nearby tree. They were a pair, both of them. Brown haired and eyed, tall and broadly built, both clad in deep red, the man and his horse practically resembled each other. It was eerie at times.

The man in question glanced up, brown eyes alight with mirth as he laughed, rolling those same eyes at his white-haired companion and tossing an errant lock of chestnut hair from his face. Dell pushed back the ire that rose in the back of his mind; Meito was just... so irritating sometimes, he had to remind himself that the man was useful in so many ways, if he could just keep that mouth of his shut.

"Oh come on, Dell. You can't tell me you're not just as bored as I am to be sitting here and waiting? Don't be such a little spoilsport, and have a bit of fun!"

Laughing, he raised his hand, balancing the knife with delicate precision as he took a few steps back to aim carefully. Muscles tensed, then released with practiced grace as the knife flew with a glittering of crimson, mid-afternoon light glinting off of the small garnet set into the hilt. The weapon was halfway to it's target when another small projectile streaked from the tree-line, the two colliding in mid-air. With a metallic clang, Meito's knife went spinning off-course to embed itself into the rich loam of the earth, while the smaller object sank into the knothole of a nearby tree. Quivering slightly, the simple stiletto was unremarkable, a flat piece of metal, edged on either side, with a bit of black leather wrapped around the dull end for grip. The only hints as to the weapon's origins was the intricately-detailed rose crest of Kiiroi that had been acid-etched into the base of the blade.

Meito groaned, throwing his hands up in a show of disappointment as he went to collect his knife.

"Allen~... you broke my streak! I was working my way up to twenty times in a row."

The near-plaintive whine was broken by a laugh as the brunette slipped the little weapon back into the convenient sheath located on his boot before tossing a wide grin to the smaller shadow who emerged from the concealing edge of the forest. Dell's eyes narrowed as they always did as he watched the quiet, blond man make his silent way across the clearing to collect his stiletto from the tree, slipping the thin blade back beside it's brethren in a concealed leather pouch at his hip. Turning, he fixed them with a level cobalt gaze, a faint smile on his lips.

Him. The man they knew as Allen, though Dell was willing to bet that if he did a bit of digging, he'd find that there was no such person as 'Allen Abbadonia'. Either that, or he'd find that the man in question was long-since dead or otherwise out of the picture, bearing no resemblance to the blond boy. Either way, he didn't really care one way or another who the pony-tailed boy was; it was incidental, really. He was Dell's superior, the one he reported to, and skillful enough to earn the cynical one's respect.

The one the kingdom - and them, though that fact was also of little consequence - knew by another name; the Demon with the Dead Eyes. Though Dell had to admit, if one didn't take notice of the way he held himself, the way he moved, or even the subtle nuances of his person that spoke volumes of his skill... Princess Rin's enforcer really wasn't all that impressive to look at. Rather than the thickly-muscled broadness that someone like Meito possessed, that one would automatically think of when faced with the idea of 'executioner', Allen was of average height, if even a little on the short side. Wiry, slim, almost scrawny in the way of a youth in the throes of adolescence, their commanding officer had an innocent, boyish face framed by long blond bangs, the remainder of his flaxen hair pulled up and tied into a high ponytail at the crown of his head. He smiled with a child's smile yet his eyes were those of a hardened killer, their deep blue colour untouched by either emotion or warmth. Like a doll's eyes, a lifeless mannequin, his strings manipulated by the grinning little vixen of Kiiroi.

Sighing, the flaxen-haired shadow brushed over-long bangs from his eyes before fixing the both of them with his gaze, the assessment lingering longer over Meito than Dell.

"Meito, stop playing around so much. It's fine to hone your skills, but if you relax too much then you let your guard down. If I had been an enemy, then you'd be dead now with a knife in your ribs."

His tone lacked anger, though it carried just the faintest hint of chastisement in it's treble. Dell had to fight the smirk as Meito assumed a suitably mollified expression before his features settled into a soldier's attentive gaze.

Len sighed inwardly as he watched the two interact, Dell's calculated coldness seeming to somehow reign in Meito's wild exuberance. It was funny, sometimes, when he considered that the brunette was at least 10 years his senior yet behaved like an overgrown kid much of the time. But then, that was what made Meito so easy to get along with. Dell, on the other hand, was marginally older than himself but so weathered and tempered by his experiences - and his nature, to be perfectly frank, the boy was so sour it was a wonder his face didn't scrunch up as though he'd just sucked on a lemon - that he oftentimes seemed more cynical than many grown men of middle years.

Shifting unconsciously so that his back was against the thick trunk of a tree, Len waited for their attention to focus on him. Once the requisite focus had been acquired, he addressed them both, shifting evenly between them.

"What is the status on the recent border uprisings? Her Highness wishes them to be quelled; they're causing undue unrest in Kiiroi."

Always a tad too eager to please, Meito easily launched into a detailed telling of their day's patrols.

"Overall the revolts seem to be dying down in severity but increasing in frequency. They break out near the borders, specifically the mid-sized villages. The small ones seem too concerned over harvest and other things to worry about it, and the larger cities don't seem to be able to mass enough of a populace of dissidents to cause much trouble. But with the mid-sized towns we've really been having a problem. Initially it was just arguments. Disputes between our garrisons and the locals. Just an increase in small crimes; theft, vandalism, nothing unusual or even all that concerning. But lately they've escalated to arson, robbery. Several of the garrisons have even reported raiding parties of rebel villagers descending upon them in the night and wrecking havoc."

He frowned, idly spinning a broken twig between two fingers.

"They're getting more violent, I think we should increase the size of the detachments that we're sending to the garrisons. If this keeps up, it could cause some real danger to our citizens and our troops. They've already burned government buildings, what's to stop them from burning fields and homes too?"

Dell scoffed from his position astride the dapple gray stallion, expression one of scorn.

"Danger? Please. They're peasants with torches and pitchforks. The only reason they're causing any trouble at all is because our troops are too hesitant to use the proper amount of force necessary to crush these uprisings at the source."

Meito frowned, shaking his head.

"That's not the way it should be, Dell. These rebels are our people too, even though they're against the government. We shouldn't... slaughter them like animals just because of it. We should be trying to deal with this peacefully, figure out the things that they need, that they want, and try to work with them. I mean, I'm all for punishing people who break the law, but if we don t address the root of the problem then it'll just get worse."

"A rebellion won't get better by such soft methods, Meito. If you cut off the hydra's heads it only sprouts new ones in their place. Instead, you crush the body. And you do that by wiping out those dissidents, before they can sow the poison of their ideas amidst the rest of the country. It's an ugly task, and if you aren't up for it than you don't belong here."

An upraised hand from Len halted what seemed to be a burgeoning argument. Shaking his head, he paused a moment before adding his own words.

"Both sides have merit, and while we cannot afford to offer any ounce of mercy to those who would tear the foundations from beneath us, neither should we alienate our people with mindless barbarism and slaughter. Fear is an effective enough method of controlling a mob. If we make an example of these... rebels, then it should serve as a warning to all those who have considered joining them or who offer them sympathy."

Turning back towards Meito, who still seemed unconvinced, he continued with his queries to the two.

"What of the leaders of this movement? Has there been any headway in determining their identities? If we can find out who the leaders are, then we stand a strong chance of stopping this uprising at it's source."

Dell spoke this time, pulling a slim leather folio from where he'd tucked it beneath his mail bracer.

"The reports are sketchy, but is seems like the rebel groups are beginning to band together. They're growing stronger, and as such they're able to attack more efficiently. They also seem to be garnering more and more favour among the local populace, rallied behind someone known only as "The Red Revolutionary". None of the leads we've followed up have given any information, either. We can't tell if he's a he, a she, or some phantom figure they've dreamed up to try and throw us off the trail of the real leaders. We believe that if he truly exists, this Revolutionary is a local, likely someone with significant ties to whatever community they belong to. It's believed that the other members of this community will protect this individual if necessary."

Meito nodded, stepping aside to tug his stallion's reigns free of the tree before vaulting up into the tooled leather saddle.

"I've heard that as well, and what I hear as I go through the villages is that it seems even _they_ don't know the identity of this person. His name spreads via word-of-mouth and other stories. Everyone it seems has heard of him, or knows someone who knows someone who claims to have seen him or talked to him. But the funny thing? None of the stories match. Some people describe him as a tall man with flaming red hair, others say it s a woman in a long flowing gown, others even describe some sort of demon of hell. You can't really take much stock in any of the stories, as most of these people haven't ever _seen_ him; every time the Revolutionary has dealings with the general populace it's always through a network of contacts and spies. Loyal watchdogs that guard their secrets well. But the people have an almost fanatical admiration of this person. They see him or her as some sort of... hero figure. Like in a fairytale or something."

Len nodded slowly, turning the new information over in his mind. This 'Red Revolutionary', as he or she was called... could prove to be a difficult obstacle. If they truly commanded such devotion from their small following, it didn't take much in the way of deductive reasoning to realize the effect of such a following growing larger. Silently he ground his teeth, seething somewhat. He'd had his best agents, spies and otherwise, following up every lead and every scrap of information on the leader of the revolts. No stone had been left unturned, no vein of knowledge unexplored, and still nothing. It was as though the crimson-garbed figure spoken of in furtive whispers on the streets simply... didn't exist.

Which was equally as likely, the persona itself being a shield; a smokescreen for the _real_ identity of the person or persons controlling the strings, the puppet-masters remaining concealed behind their dark cloaks of anonymity. Either way, they needed to be routed. Ferreted out like the vermin they were, and brought to justice for their crimes against Kiiroi. He'd spent the better part of his life doing just that; finding dissidents and other threats against Rin, then seeing to it that those threats were neutralized, never to beseige her again. It was his reason, his purpose, the sole fact of his existence. But this particular threat continued to elude him, as did several other notable aliases.

He ticked them off in his head as he allowed his mind to wander, pacing mentally rather than physically; physical pacing gave away too much, it let others see when you were flustered, when you were troubled. True control lay in keeping that hidden, keeping it beneath layers of carefully-crafted poise until the moment when your own weakness became a weapon against your enemies. The Phoenix-shadow... Suzume of Yoru... Yokune Ruko, who remained just outside his grasp, ever elusive and walking the wire of law such that he couldn't simply capture and execute her the way he wished to do. No, he d have to be more creative where she was concerned, unless he wished to cause more trouble for Rin. The mercenaries, who served Kiiroi only as long as her coffers saw to it that they were handsomely paid for their services. There were notable names among their ranks, some who could be trusted - to a point, no one trusted a mercenary beyond that - and some whose natures and fragile loyalties bore watching. All of them would die, and by his hand if the stars permitted it, because every single one of them was nothing but a monster. Just like him. The only difference... was that he served _her_.

Turning his attention back to his generals, he shifted his shoulders slightly, the only audible sound the faint creak of well-oiled leather as it rubbed against the tree through his cloak.

"Continue following up on every lead that you find. Leave no stone unturned. No scrap of potential information is too small, or too irrelevant. Inform me of any new developments at once. Otherwise, keep any information that is gleaned to yourself. Should the rebel factions learn what we learn, then they could use that to their advantage to slip from our grasp. Dell."

He cast his gaze towards the pale-skinned young man with his unearthly red eyes. Dell straightened fractionally, more out of military discipline than any real deference, and nodded curtly to show his attention. Len ignored the minute slight; it was hardly something to get concerned over, especially given Dell's prowess and cunning as a general, and there were plenty of soldiers in Kiiroi's army who looked upon him with less than favourable feeling. He was long-since used to their dual natures of unquestioning obedience combined with a mixture of contempt, fear, and awe.

"I want you in charge of quelling these rebellions. Crush them, be brutal if necessary, but don't engage in needless slaughter. Only use as much force as you feel is needed in the given situation. Any enemy captured should be kept alive for interrogation purposes. Should you feel it is warranted, you may draw an extra contingent of troops from the reserves, but leave the special reinforcement guard at their posts. The most important task is, as always, to ensure Her Highness safety and security at all times.

Both Meito and Dell nodded, the former fidgeting slightly before stretching his arms over his head. Reaching into his saddlebags, Meito pulled out a piece of jerky, gnawing on it absently before washing the mouthful of dried meat down with a gulp from the canteen at his side.

"Hey Dell, Allen. I know we're supposed to be in business mode right now, but there's something you guys have just GOT to see!"

Dell muffled a disgusted scoff and a scowl while Len simply sighed slightly and shook his head. Meito was a good general, there were few besides Dell himself who could match the brunette for skill and tact, but there were times when his free-spirited nature could be a little much to deal with. Len saw little point in trying to stop him from talking about whatever this shiny new thing was that had popped into his mind - it would work, Meito would shut up if he told him to, but there was little harm in letting him ramble. It never affected his performance or his concentration, nor had it ever proven to be detrimental. Meito had been loyal to a fault since the first day they d met, and if allowing him the free reign to act thus helped that, then Len could accept it. Raising an eyebrow slightly, he gave his older companion a faint smile.

"And I presume you re going to tell us about it, right?"

Meito s face broke into a wide grin at Len's subtle encouragement as he continued.

"Of course! Otherwise you couldn't enjoy it too. You too, Dell, you're always too serious."

Ignoring the muttered - and likely uncomplimentary - comment from Dell, Meito launched into a spirited and animated retelling of his ride to their meeting place from a small town called Jaune. While riding through the larger town, he had chanced upon a group of townsfolk who were heading to a celebration of sort. Or at least, he assumed it was such. They were laughing and smiling, and seemed in a hurry, speaking of how they would miss out if they did not get to their destination in time. Being the oft-interested person that he was, Meito had decided to follow along to see what they were anticipating with such excitement. Rounding a corner, he had come upon the gathering crowd, ringed around a small group of what looked to be traveling folk.

Dell broke in with a frown, displeasure evident in his voice. "Traveling folk? _That_ is what you wish to tell us about? They are nothing new, various small tribes and bands wander through the countries every day. All they do is cause an annoyance by pandering in the streets and flouting the laws of each village they come to. They should all be thrown out at the gates."

Rolling his eyes, Meito stuck his tongue out at Dell. "And this is why no one likes you, Dell." Returning to his story, he made every attempt to deflate Dell's statements. These weren't normal traveling folk, he said, they were musicians. Musicians like no others that he had encountered, dancing and laughing and playing melodies that sounded exotic and strange to his ears. People had even whispered that perhaps they took their origins from Murasaki, where it was said that strange and mysterious things often were considered commonplace.

"But the best part of it was the girl."

Len sighed inwardly, he should have known it would end up being about a girl. While not a womanizer by any means, Meito was certainly a man who appreciated a pretty face and a pleasing form, and had on more than one occasion been known to be susceptible to the charms of a mischievous barmaid or peasant girl. Resigning himself to another tirade of virtues both imagined and made-up, he waved his hand for Meito to continue.

"Alright, what was so wonderful about her?"

Meito snickered, not unaware of their thoughts. "Well, she was definitely cute. Red hair in curls, brown eyes, some freckles. But what I really noticed was her voice. She was the one singing, and doing a lot of the dancing. And beyond that, she was playing. Some sort of stringed instrument, a lute maybe. But it was the way she played it. Like she wasn't creating the music, but more... she was just a means for the music to make itself heard. I've never heard anyone play like that. Better than most of the court musicians I've ever heard play, hands-down. You guys have to go and hear it before they move on! I mean, they're traveling folk, right? So they'll probably only be there for a few days."

Dell scowled, tugging on the reigns to turn his horse around. "I've got better things to do than humor your idiotic ideas. We're soldiers. Not schoolboys on holiday." He turned his head to nod to Len. "With your leave, Allen. The revolts won't wait for this buffoon to finish ogling a pair of dancing breasts." With that, he kicked his horse into a gallop, vanishing into the woods to the angry retorts of Meito.

Watching for a moment as the brunette sputtered in anger, eventually slamming a gloved fist into the trunk of a tree, Len sighed and shook his head. They never could seem to get along unless they were in a battle. Walking over, he placed his hand on Meito s arm for just an instant, satisfied when the other man nearly jumped at the atypical contact. Obviously stunned, Meito just stared as Len raised an eyebrow at him.

"Don't let it distract you so much that you forget your mission, Meito. Perhaps when things calm down more, then we'll go together."

He knew it was a lie, like so many other things that came from his lips, but that hardly mattered. What mattered was that everything continued according to Rin's wishes. So long as she smiled... that was enough. With a simple nod, Meito composed himself, vaulting up onto his stallion's back with a smile.

"I'll hold you to that, Allen!"

With a respectful nod, he wheeled around and kicked his horse into a gallop, following Dell's tracks until the road forked, hurtling down the other track. Len stood for another moment or two after his generals had both disappeared, before leaning his head back and closing his eyes. For just a moment, the faint ghost of a sad smile graced his features and then vanished as his face recomposed itself into the familiar emotionless mask. He took a deep breath before letting it out slowly and opening empty blue eyes again. Turning, he climbed back onto his horse, sliding booted feet into the stirrups as he kicked heels against the stallion's sides. This would be dealt with, as he dealt with everything else that threatened Rin's world and her peace. And if it meant more blood on his own hands, then so be it.

Author s Notes: Wow, that took awhile to write. Aku no Meshitsukai Len is unbelievably hard to write because he s practically dissociative personality disorder the way I portray him, what with his switching from a normal personality to the cold and emotionless demon of Rin s executioner. I hope I did a decent job of his interactions with Meito and Dell, I wanted him to appear almost as though he s unused to having simple NORMAL conversations with people. Dell and Meito are an enjoyable pair, I wanted them to seem almost polar opposites in virtually every aspect of their personalities. Kudos to anyone who recognized it without my note, but Allen Abbadonia is another shout-out to Mothy. His novel Cloiture of Yellow, which is the novelized story that he wrote the songs around, names the character of the servant as such, while princess Rin is called Rillianne. All of the other characters have differing names as well. However, I chose to keep the original vocaloid names for my own preference, and to borrow the Allen name to stand in as the alias Len goes by, thus making it easy for anyone who hears Rin speak to him to assume that Len is simply a shortening of Allen. The name of the village where Meito saw the traveling folk means yellow in French. The rebel leader s title Red Revolutionary is also a throw-back to the stage play of Aku no Monogatari, entitled Seien no Gemini (Evilly Beautiful Gemini). The piece of music that was Meiko s theme in the stage play is called Red Revolutionary.


End file.
